Search system, search method, search program and storage medium for providing a stabilized number of output search results

A search method, comprising:

• address management data storage step of storing pieces of address element data in a hierarchical structure corresponding to a preset number of tiers, each address element data including an address element character string, the address element character string indicating a name of an element of an address, and an address element identification (ID) associated with the address element character string;
• search target data storage step of storing pieces of search target data, each of which is a shop data comprising a shop ID of a shop and address element IDs corresponding to an address of the shop, the address element IDs being in a hierarchical structure of the preset number of tiers;
• an acquisition step of acquiring, by a computer, geographic information designated by a user;
• a search processing execution step of identifying, among the pieces of search target data stored in the search target data storage, pieces of the search target data associated with a geographic element group comprising the address element IDs that respectively match, in all the preset number of tiers, to the address element IDs corresponding to the geographic information acquired in the acquisition step;
• a search result information output step of outputting, by the computer, under a condition that a number of the identified pieces of search target data is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, search result information comprising the identified pieces of search target data;
• and
• an excluding step of excluding, by the computer, under a condition that the number of the identified pieces of search target data is not equal to or larger than the predetermined number, a geographic element in a lowermost tier among the preset number of tiers from the address element IDs corresponding to the geographic information,
• wherein the search processing execution step comprises a step of identifying, under a condition that the geographic element in the lowermost tier is excluded in the excluding step, pieces of the search target data associated with the geographic element group comprising the address element IDs that respectively match, in all the preset number of tiers except for the lowermost tier, to the address element IDs after the exclusion additionally,
• wherein the search result information output step comprises a step of outputting, under a condition that the geographic element in the lowermost tier is excluded in the excluding step, the search result information comprising both of the search target data identified based on the address element ID before the exclusion and the search target data identified based on the address element IDs after the exclusion mixedly, and
• wherein the search result information output step comprises a step of outputting, under a condition that the processing to identify pieces of the search target data associated with the address element IDs after the exclusion is executed, the search result information in which the search target data identified by the processing is arranged below the search target data identified before the execution of the processing.

A non-transitory storage medium having a search program stored thereon, the search program causing a computer to:

• store, in an address management data storage, pieces of address element data in a hierarchical structure corresponding to a preset number of tiers, each address element data including an address element character string, the address element character string indicating a name of an element of an address, and an address element identification (ID) associated with the address element character string;
• store, in a search target storage, pieces of search target data, each of which is a shop data comprising a shop ID of a shop and address element IDs corresponding to an address of the shop, the address element IDs being in a hierarchical structure of the preset number of tiers;
• acquire geographic information designated by a user;
• identify, among the pieces of search target data stored in the search target data storage, pieces of the search target data associated with a geographic element group comprising the address element IDs that respectively match, in all the preset number of tiers, to the address element IDs corresponding to the geographic information in all the preset number of tiers;
• output, under a condition that a number of the identified pieces of search target data is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, search result information comprising the identified pieces of search target data;
• and
• exclude, under a condition that the number of the identified pieces of search target data is not equal to or larger than the predetermined number, a geographic element in a lowermost tier among the preset number of tiers from the address element IDs corresponding to the geographic information,
• wherein the search program further causes the computer to identify, under a condition that geographic element in the lower most tier is excluded, pieces of the search target data associated with the geographic element group comprising the address element IDs that respectively match, in all the preset number of tiers except for the lowermost tier, to the address element IDs after the exclusion additionally,
• wherein the search program further causes the computer to output, under a condition that the geographic element in the lowermost tier is excluded, the search result information comprising both of the search target data identified based on the address element IDs before the exclusion and the search target data identified based on the address element IDs after the exclusion mixedly, and
• wherein the search program further causes the computer to output, under a condition that the processing to identify pieces of the search target data associated with the address element IDs after the exclusion is executed, the search result information in which the search target data identified by the processing is arranged below the search target data identified before the execution of the processing.